Wednesday, October 5, 2016

A Common Thread’s Eli Green Bears All for Energy Upgrade California

LOS
ANGELES—California’s state mascot explains the “bear” facts of
energy conservation in a new television and online ad campaign directed by A
Common Thread’s Eli Green for Energy Upgrade California and Campbell Ewald.

In one spot, a large golden bear
appears in the den of a white-washed bungalow and makes a pitch to camera about
how easy it is to save energy. He’s affable, but shows he’s still a bear as he
growls at a production assistant when he flubs a line. He then cheerfully
directs viewers to the website for Energy Upgrade California.

In
additional spots, the bear invites viewers into other rooms of his home while
offering tips on low-flow showerheads, LED lighting and upgrading appliances.
The tagline is “It’s Easy to Stay Golden."

The
bear that appears in the spot was an animatronic creature operated by a trio of
puppeteers. To keep things fresh, Green recorded the bear’s performances live,
with a voiceover actor, positioned just off stage, speaking its lines. “It was a
lot of fun working with the puppeteers,” Green recalls. “They could do just
about anything and react on the fly to what the voice-over actor was doing. The
amount of personality they brought to it was amazing.”

Green
says that the bear’s character flaws make him all the more endearing. “Most of
the time, he can compose himself like a human being, but every now and then the
bear comes through,” he explains. “The trick was to find those moments when he reveals
his animal side.”

The
spots are simply, but precisely art directed. The monotone walls and
green-grass carpet of the set subtly recall the colors and design of the
California state flag. “By using a chic minimalist styling tied into our
all-white design, we created a cool, modern, welcoming den for our California
Bear’s life,” Green says.